The City of Salem Board of Aldermen held their regular meeting Monday evening at the city hall council chambers. The board heard from Dottie Link who feels that the city does not treat her fairly since an incident at a previous board of alderman meeting concerning the trailer park she manages and Laurie Walker. She said that a tenant had a problem with their breaker box where sparks were coming out and the tenant reported it to the utility office to have the electric shut off. Link said that she had an electrician there to fix the problem and when no one from the city came out because they knew it was her, they repaired the breaker without shutting off the electric. Kathy from the Utility Office stated that the tenant never said that there were sparks coming from the box or that it was a dangerous situation, and that they just wanted the electric shut off. She said that Link’s name never came up when the account was accessed. She said she called Gary Cook who said that it would be awhile as they were changing out a pole that provided electric to ten homes. She went on to say that the tenant called back when she got back from lunch an said the problem was taken care of so a work order was never issued. The board heard bids to repair a 2004 Ford Explorer that was damaged by an uninsured hit and run driver at the police station. Since the bids were not identical, the board postponed awarding the bid until there was clarification with the bids. Alderman Riley and Nash spoke about the people who live on Roberts Street that have prevented the street from being paved and Aldermen Nash said that the people did not want to be annexed into the city. Since there is confusion with the road as some are getting mail addressed to the city street and others to the county road, the attorney was asked to see if there was something that could be done to annex the road into the city. Mayor Gary Brown said that the Forest Hill Drive was all but done, that asphalting would be done on South Hickory and South Pershing next week, and the MoDOT would be working with the city Thursday on McArthur that will close down the street on Thursday. He said that Sho-Me Power has sent a letter to the city indicating that the city can expect about a 10.8% increase in rates starting April 1, 2009. The mayor said that he hoped that the board would only have to pass on about half the increase next year, but only time would tell with the budget. He said that a meeting would be held today in Rolla with the students from MS&T to see how they are coming along with their projects. The board then approved Bill #3143 which is an ordinance that allows the mayor to enter into an agreement between the city and the MRPC for technical assistance in applying for a Department of Natural Resource Land and Water Grant for the soccer park. The board approved the holding of a municipal election for April 7th for the West Ward seat of Alderman Riley, and the East Ward seat of Alderman Jackson. Filings will be from December 16th through January 20th and there is a $25 filing fee. The board further approved that the salaries of the elected officials would be at $100 per meeting, the same as it currently is. After the bills were approved, the meeting was adjourned.

The Dent County Commissioners held their regular meeting Monday morning at the Dent County Courthouse. In the road report, Commissioner Simpson said that Dent County Road 5610 in the Sinkin’ Township was being worked on. He also said that grading was being done on Dent County Roads 2430, 2490 and 5070; and brush was being cut on Dent County Road 5650. Simpson reported that ditch work was being done on Dent County Road 4210. Commissioner J.J. Tune stated that grading would be done on Dent County Roads 2200, 2360, 2370, 3330, 3334, 3335 and 3337. Workers are also working on some flat tires for the trucks and on a heater problem in one of the trucks. By weeks end, some chip and seal roads will be patched in the Ray Oaks subdivision and if time allows, the speed limit signs will be erected on Dent County Road 2390. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles attended a Central Region Workforce Investment Board conference last Thursday, and then attended the grand opening of the new Texas County Justice Center in Houston this past Saturday. He said he had a meeting this Wednesday with MoDOT on the Safe and Sound Bridges of which three are in Dent County; and on Thursday he will travel to Springfield for the Health Insurance Consortium to see where the county will stand with health insurance for 2009. He also mentioned the Missouri Department of Conservation has proposed to mandate property owners buy a hunting permit to hunt deer on their own property. Skiles recommends that owners investigate this and respond to the MDC their feelings on this proposal. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley reported that about 80 people voted absentee on Saturday and over 1,200 requests for a ballot have been made this year. The election hours today will be from 6:00 AM to 7:00 PM. The next meeting of the Dent County Commissioners will be Thursday morning at 9:00 and the meeting is open to the public.

An accident happened at 9:55 Monday morning in Dent County on Route FF about eleven miles north of Salem. According to the highway patrol report, a 1993 Buick driven by 73-year old Gloria Spurgeon of Eminence was traveling westbound on Route FF. Spurgeon sneezed and lost control of her vehicle. The Buick ran off the roadway and overturned. Spurgeon suffered moderate injuries and was taken to the Salem Memorial District Hospital by Salem ambulance. She was wearing a seat restraint at the time of the accident. The Buick was totaled and removed from the scene by Whitaker’s Towing.

An accident happened Monday afternoon at 2;00 in Reynolds County on Route AC about ten miles north of Bunker. According to the highway patrol report, a 1999 GMC Pickup driven northbound by 28-year old Sarah A. Asher of Boss, incurred mechanical difficulties as the steering wheel froze up. The pickup ran off the left side of the roadway where it struck a tree and a fence. Asher suffered moderate injuries and was taken to the Midland Medical Clinic in Viburnum by a private vehicle. Asher was wearing a seat restraint at the time of the accident and the pickup sustained extensive damage. The pickup was removed from the scene by the Valley Spring Auto Shop of Black.

The Salem Tiger Football Team will travel to Fulton tomorrow night to face the Hornets starting at 7:00. Both teams enter the game with 8-2 records.Admission to the game is $5.00. If you can’t make it to the game, you can hear it on KSMO Radio & online at www.ksmoradio.com.

Funeral services for Lonnie Sullins of Licking, age 64, will be held Wednesday morning at 11:00 at the Fox Chapel in Licking. Visitation will be held tonight from 6:00 to 8:00 PM. Interment will be in the Craddock Cemetery.

Funeral services for Mary E. Chrisco of St. James, age 85, will be held at 10:00 Thursday morning at the James & Gahr Mortuary in St. James. Visitation will be Wednesday from 6:00 to 8:00. Interment will be in the Stone Hill Cemetery in Dent County. Memorials are suggested to the Alzheimer’s Association.

Memorials services for Reginice Selena Heiligtag of Salem, age 55, will be held at a later date. All the arrangements are under the direction of the Wilson Mortuary Chapel in Salem.

Today..Mostly sunny, high of 72.
Tonight..Mostly clear, low of 52.
Wednesday..Partly cloudy and windy, high of 76.
Wednesday night..Partly cloudy with a 40% chance for showers, low of 57.
Thursday..Partly sunny with a 70% chance for showers and thunderstorms, high of 65.
Thursday night..Partly cloudy, low of 38.